Ball pitching machine



July 28, 1970 D. D. HEINZ 3 ,521,617

BALL PITCHING MACHINE k Filed Oct. 25. 1968 2 Shets-Sheet 1 flffOF/YEXJuly 28, 1970 D. D. HEINZ ,5

BALL PITCHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 2:5, 1968 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 3,521,617BALL PITCHING MACLHNE Donald D. Heinz, 2403 Lincoln St. NE.,Minneapolis, Minn. 55418 Filed Oct. 23, 1968, Ser. No. 769,845 Int. Cl.F4lb 7/00; F41d 9/00 US. Cl. 124-16 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA ball pitching machine particularly adapted for use as a childs toy forthe pitching or propelling of light, plastic baseballs. The machineincludes a ball discharge section into which balls are dropped to bepropelled, dispensed or pitched therefrom through the use of a flexiblepaddle which imparts a pitching force to the ball. The paddle is motordriven for cyclic operation and a ball holding and dispensing structurecarried by the motor and positioned above the paddle will dispense ballsin a timed sequence to be propelled from the machine.

My invention relates to a ball pitching machine and more particularly toan improved ball pitching machine of the type particularly for use as achilds toy in the pitching of small plastic baseballs.

Pitching machines and projectile propelling machines of this generaltype are known and in use. They are all too complex for usage as 'achilds top and totally inapplicable for such usage because of the numberof moving parts, the safety hazard to children in usage and the physicalstructure and size which eliminates in house usage. The presentinvention is directed to a ball pitching machine particularly adaptedfor the pitching of small plastic baseballs of the type well known andin use for children. Such baseballs are used in conjunction with plasticbats and may be used indoors or outdoors by small children withoutdanger because of their relative lightweight. The ball pitching machineof the present invention is adapted to dispense small plastic baseballsin a timed sequence for batting practice and may be utilized indoors oroutdoors to accurately project the baseballs for batting practice forchildren. It employs a ball dispensing or throwing structure whichincludes a base and cylindrical frame forming a discharge chamber nwhich is positioned a rotating paddle adapted to engage the plasticballs and impart a snap force thereto to pro pel them through an openingin the discharge chamber. The paddle is motor driven and a ball holdingand dispensing tray associated with the motor and driven thereby beinglocated above the paddle, will dispense balls in a timed sequence toaccurately position balls for engagement with the flexed paddle suchthat they may be propelled from the machine to simulate a pitched ball.The structure is lightweight, simple in design and may be operated bychildren without safety hazard. As such, it is a sophisticated trainingtoy which is reliable, simple in design and relatively maintenance free.

Therefore, it is the principal object of this invention to provide animproved ball pitching machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a ball pitching machinewhich is simple in design and utilizes a minimum of moving parts toprovide a structure safe for operation by children.

Another object of this invention is to provide a ball pitching machnieWhich is easy to use so that it may be child operated, readily moved andhandled, and accurately propels balls for training purposes.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a ball pitchingmachine which is low in cost and maintenance free to provide an improvedtoy for children.

United States Patent ice These and other objects of this invention willbecome apparent from a reading of the attached description together withthe drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved ball pitching machine;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the improved ball pitching machine;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the improved ball pitching machinewith parts in section; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the improved ball pitching machinewith parts in section.

My improved ball pitching machine in its preferred form is generallyclassifiable as a childs toy designed to pitch or throw small plasticbaseballs for batting practice for children using lightweight plasticbats. As such, it is particularly adaptable for indoor or outdoor usageand is primarily constructed for operation by children. Within the scopeof the invention, however, heavier materials and larger unitsincorporating the same shape and principle may be employed for thepitching or throwing of heavier balls to be contacted by heavier bats ofdifferent materials. Thus, in FIG. 1, the improved ball pitching machineis shown generally at 10. It includes a base structure which has asupport portion 12 and a cylindrical discharge frame 14 secured thereto,the support portion being generally triangular in cross section andtaking the appearance of a truncated pyramid with the cylindricaldischarge portion 14 attached thereto and inclined at an angle to thesurface of the base portion 12 which is adapted to rest on the ground orsurface where the machine is mounted. Thus, for indoor use, the machinemay be placed on the ground or on a table or other suitable supportingsurface with similar locations being adapted for outdoor usage. Thematerials employed in the base structure may be plastic, metal or woodand in its preferred form would be generally a molded or machinedplastic material. The base portion 12 may or may not be enclosed on itsbottom surface and may include glides such as is indicated at 15,certain of which are adjustable for height adjustment or other suitablesupporting structures. The cylindrical discharge frame member has achute or opening 18 along the periphery of the same through which ballsare propelled. As will be seen in the side elevation View in FIG. 4, thedischarge chute 18 is located in the peripheral wall of the cylindricalframe or discharge structure intermediate the high and low pointsthereof because of the angle of inclination of the mounting of thecylindrical frame on the base structure and more closely adjacent thehigh point of the same. With respect to the base sitting on a horizontalsurface, the angle of inclination is approximately five degrees so thatballs being propelled from this cylindrical frame will have an upwardinclination. The cylindrical frame 14, which is generally cup-shaped inform, has a bottom surface 20 upon which balls roll and an upper opentop which mounts a second cup-shaped structure 25 which forms the ballholding and dispensing portion of the pitching machine. The latter fitstelescopically into the ball dispensing or discharge frame 14 to closethe top of the same.

Positioned within the base support or triangular base 12 of the basestructure for the pitching machine is a drive motor indicated at 30.This is an electrical motor adapted to be energized through anelectrical cord 32 with a suitable connector to be plugged into anoutlet or power source. Motor 30 includes a mounting frame 33 which isattached on the undersurface of the bottom 20 of the cylindricaldischarge frame portion 14 of the base structure and secured theretothrough screws, such as is indicated at 36. Motor 30 includes an outputshaft 38 which extends through an aperture 39 in the base 20 of thecylindrical frame portion 14 and projects into the confines thereof withan upper flange portion 42 which attaches to the bottom surface of thecylindrical ball holding and dispensing frame 25. The motor is mountedat the geometric center of the cylindrical frame portion 14 and isenclosed by the triangular base portion 12 such that it will rotate theball holding and dispensing structure concentric with the axis of theframe 14. Shaft 38 is slotted along its extent and mounts a drive paddle45 which is positioned in the notch 46 therein and held in position byscrews 47 with the paddle extending generally from the shaft radially toshort of the inner wall of the cylindrical frame discharge portion 14.The paddle may take varying forms but as shown herein is generallytapered toward its free extremity with a width dimension smaller thanthe diametrical dimension of the ball which it is to engage. Alsoincluded within the cylindrical frame part and attached thereto is aflange 50 which is generally plate-like in form and attached at one edgeto the inner peripheral wall of the cylindrical frame part through means(not shown) and curved inwardly to be secured to a post 52 offset fromthe wall toward the geometrical center of the cylindrical frame portion.This flange is adapted to engage the end of the paddle to flex or bendthe same, the paddle being made of a flexible material which may bemetal or plastic. Thus, as the paddle is rotated within the confines ofthe cylindrical frame discharge portion of the base, it will engage theflange at the end of the same causing flexing of the paddle with thepaddle being released and snapped once the area of the post 52 iscleared. It is at this point that a ball positioned in front of thepaddle will be snapped or discharged from the machine through thedischarge opening 18 in the cylindrical frame portion 14. In addition,the bottom 20 of this cylindrical frame portion has a ridge member 55secured thereto adjacent the area of the flange plate 50 to define arestrictive path into which a ball will roll. The ridge 55 represents asmall raised surface on the bottom 20 of the frame part which clears thepaddle 45 so as not to interfere with the same and yet provide a guidingstructure for a ball deposited on the bottom surface and rolling thereonunder the influence of gravity because of the inclination of the framepart 14 on the base structure.

The ball holding and dispensing structure, which is generallycylindrical in form and fits into the upper end of the dispensing formstructure or portion 14, is also partially open at the top to receivebaseballs 61 of objects to be thrown, such as is indicated at 60. Thebottom or base of this structure, as indicated at 62, forms the coverfor the discharge frame portion 14 and is disposed generally parallel tothe bottom 20 and concentric therewith being rotatable relative theretoon the shaft 38. This structure includes a maze or guide path portion,indicated generally at 70, located beneath the closed top portion whichprovides the path or guide for the plastic baseballs as they are movedfrom the reservoir toward and through an aperture 72 therein. This mazeor guide includes a raised portion 73 which extends in a circular mannerfrom the wall of the structure 25 and along one side of the aperture 72and terminates in a generally three-walled recess, such as is indicatedat 74, for ball direction purposes. The raised portion 73, at itsthree-walled recess extremity 74, is spaced from the peripheral wall ofthe ball holding and guide structure 25 to provide an entrance passageor a restricted opening, such as is indicated at 78, through which onlya single ball may pass at any period of time. The raised portion 73 maybe attached to or formed integral with the base 62 of the ball holdingand dispensing structure and has several straight sides for deflectingpurposes beyond the opening 78 for guiding the balls into the aperture72. The actual shape of the maze may vary depending upon the speed ofrotation of the motor 30 and the action of the balls on the dispensingstructure 25. The aperture 72 in the structure 25 which is secured tothe shaft 38, is located diametrically opposite a paddle 45, as shown inphantom in FIG. 2, such that a ball will be discharged onto the surface20 of the discharge frame portion 14 to roll downward under theinfluence of gravity in the direction of the flange 50 such that thepaddle which will be rotating in this direction will meet the ball afterbeing flexed by an engagement of the extremity of the same with thecurved flange plate 50 so as to be contacted upon release to snap orthrow the ball through the discharge opening 18 in the frame portion 14of the base structure. Since the ball holding and guiding structure isdisposed parallel to the inclined discharge frame portion 14 and isrotatable relative thereto, balls held in the area outside of the maze70 or in the reservoir portion of this structure 25, will roll under theinfluence of gravity with each revolution of the shaft attached theretoand be guided through the maze one at a time with each revolution. Asthe balls pass through the restricted opening 78, they will be guidedagainst the straight walled or three-walled surface 74 and reboundtherefrom toward the curved opposite surface directing the same towardthe aperture 72. The common effect of gravity and centrifugal force willguide the balls through the maze with each ball reaching the low side orposition of the support structure during its rotation under theinfluence of gravity and being directed through the maze by the actionof centrifugal force. A single ball will be dispensed with eachrevolution of the ball holding and dispensing structure 25 of the shaft38 and will move into proximity with the paddle after it has beenflexed. In the dispensing of balls from the structure 25 through theaperture 72, the motor is rotated to rotate the dispensing structure 25and the paddle 45 attached thereto in fixed relationship. Motor isoperated or energized through control of a switch indicated at 80 whichis mounted in a flange or rib section 82 on the undersurface of thecylindrical discharge frame part 14 to house the electrical connectionsfrom the motor 30 and the energizing connector cord 32. This is disposedwith the operating portion of the switch adjacent the peripheral edge ofthe cylindrical frame part for easy axis.

In operation, a child may physically lift and position the pitchingmachine placing it on any desired surface either at a floor level or ata raised level. The balls associated therewith and indicated at 61 arepositioned on the exposed surface of the holding and dispensingcylindrical frame part 25 and the machine is energized from operation ofthe switch after the cord 32 is connected to a suitable electric outlet.The motor will run causing its shaft to rotate at a fixed speed rotatingthe paddle and the dispensing portion 25 continuously. Because of theincline of the dispensing portion and the discharge frame part 14relative to the base 12, balls will move into the maze and through themaze to the discharge or dispensing aperture 72 to be dropped on thebottom surface 20 of the discharge frame part 14 and rolled intoproximity with the paddle as it is rotated. The paddle is flexed by theflange plate and upon passing beyond the post 52, will snap, engagingthe ball and propelling it through the discharge chute opening 18 in thedischarge frame part 14 to simulate a pitched ball. The parts formingthe pitching machine may be made of a plastic or lightweight metalmaterial so that it may be readily handled by children and the plasticballs may be utilized for play indoors and out. This improved pitchingmachine provides a simplified design which is readily handled and usableby children as a toy.

What is claimed is:

1. A ball pitching machine, comprising:

(a) a base structure including a support portion and a cylindrical frameportion secured thereto, said cylindrical frame portion having a balldischarge opening in a peripheral wall surface of the same;

(b) a drive motor mounted on the base structure and having an outputshaft extending into the cylindrical frame portion of the base structureand located centrally therein;

(c) a flexible drive paddle attached to the output shaft of the drivemotor and extending substantially to the peripheral wall surface of theframe portion of the base structure to be rotated therein;

(d) a ball holding and dispensing structure mounted on the upperextremity of the output shaft of the drive motor above the drive paddleand rotated therewith;

(e) a ball directing path structure positioned on the surface of theball holding and dispensing structure and including an aperture at aclosed end of the ball directing path structure adapted to direct ballsthereon through the path and the aperture into the confines of thecylindrical frame portion of the base structure; and

(f) means within the cylindrical frame portion of the base structure fordeflecting the paddle as it rotates such that it is adapted to engage aball dropped through the aperture in the dispensing structure to propelit through the discharge opening in the wall surface of the cylindricalframe portion of the base structure. 1

2. The ball pitching machine of claim 1 in which the cylindrical frameportion of the base structure is inclined to a surface of the supportportion which is adapted to position a machine for usage.

3. The ball pitching machine of claim 2 in which the means within thecylindrical frame portion is a curved flange plate connected to theinner surface of the frame portion projecting out from the side toengage the end of the paddle as it rotates to deflect and release thesame.

4. The ball pitching machine of claim 2 in which the ball holding anddispensing structure is a cylindrical shaped member open at the top andwith the path guiding structure and the aperture therein positioned onthe bottom surface of the cylindrical structure.

5. The ball pitching machine of claim 4 in which the path guidestructure is a maze having a restricted passage therein of dimensionsufficient to pass only a single ball at any time and with the remainderof the ball holding and dispensing structure being a reservoir for ballswhich are moved through the path guiding structure with rotation of theball holding and dispensing structure.

6. The ball pitching machine of claim 1 in which the motor is anelectric motor and including switch means mounted on the support portionof the base structure to control the energization of the same.

7. The ball pitching machine of claim 1 in which the aperture in theball holding and dispensing structure and the paddle are located atdiametrically opposed positions relative to the output shaft of thedrive motor to which they are connected.

8. The ball pitching machine of claim 2 in which the inclinedcylindrical frame portion of the base structure includes the dischargeopening therein extending from the highest point relative to the surfaceof the support portion thereof and in which the deflecting flange islocated intermediate the lowest point in the inclined cylindrical frameportion relative to the support portion of the base structure.

9. The ball pitching machine of claim 5 in which the base portion isgenerally a truncated pyrimid with the cylindrical frame portionattached thereto with the drive motor mounted at the geometric center ofthe cylindrical base portion and with the ball holding and dispensingstructure being located generally parallel to the cylindrical frameportion and telescopically fitted for rotation therein. 7

10. The ball pitching machine of claim 1 in which the ball directingstructure on the ball holding and dispensing structure is inclinedrelative to a base upon which the support portion is adapted to bepositioned such that balls positioned thereon move under the influenceof gravity and centrifugal force With rotation of a ball holding anddispensing structure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,190,565 7/1916 Long 124-61,309,129 7/1919 Gannoe 12451 XR 2,057,599 10/1936 Serrano 124-50 XR2,660,158 11/1953 Binks.

3,034,785 5/1962 Graham.

3,059,929 10/1962 Licitis 124-16 XR 3,084,680 4/1963 Goldfarb et a1.124-50 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 526,739 9/ 1940 Great Britain.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

